Blepharis edulis (family: Acanthaceae) is a folk medicinal plant traditionally employed formanaging skin injuries, including wounds and ulcers. This study aimed to assess the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of B. edulis extract, formulate it into a topical herbal cream, and assess the wound-healing efficacy of the cream in vivo. In this work, total phenolic content was quantified by a spectrophotometric assay based on the Folin–Ciocalteu reagent. Antioxidant potential was examined using the 2,2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging assay. The antibacterial effects against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were characterized using a broth microdilution method. The cream was formulated using an oil-in-water base via the phase inversion temperature method, and five formulations (F1–F5) were developed by varying excipient composition while maintaining a constant extract concentration (1%). Our data showed that the extract demonstrated a high phenolic content (54.7mg gallic acid equivalent/g extract), potent antioxidant activity (IC50 23.0 μ- g/mL), and selective antibacterial activity against S. aureus (MIC 5mg/mL). Among the tested cream formulations, F5 demonstrated optimal physical properties, including nongreasy, smooth consistency, good spreadability, easy washability, physical stability, and no signs of coalescence or liquefaction under accelerated stability conditions. F5 maintained a stable pH of 4.72 and showed no dermal irritation. The formulation contained 1% of B. edulis extract, along with liquid paraffin, glycol monostearate, ceteareth-6, ceteareth-25, methyl paraben, propyl paraben, vaseline, beeswax, lemon fragrance, propylene glycol, and cetyl alcohol. In vivo, topical application of F5 significantly enhanced wound healing, showing complete re-epithelialization, increased collagen fibers, extensive angiogenesis, and abundant granulation tissue compared with the control group. In summary, the newly developed topical cream formulated with B. edulis extract demonstrated significant in vivo wound-healing activity and represents a promising candidate for further preclinical pharmaceutical investigation.
Loading....